ul Liberal party, which soon after
confederation rallied its forces and overthrew Sir John Macdonald's
government at Ottawa, and the coalition government he had established
at Toronto. Giving Macdougall every credit for good intentions, it
must be admitted that he committed an error in casting in his
political fortunes with Sir John Macdonald, and that both he and
Joseph Howe would have found more freedom, more scope for their
energies and a wider field of usefulness, in fighting by the side of
Mackenzie and Blake.

FOOTNOTES:

[18] Longley's _Joseph Howe_, "Makers of Canada" series, pp. 228, 229.

CHAPTER XXI

CANADA AND THE GREAT WEST

Very soon after his arrival in Canada, Mr. Brown became deeply
interested in the North-West Territories. He was thrown into contact
with men who knew the value of the country and desired to see it
opened for settlement. One of these was Robert Baldwin Sullivan, who,
during the struggle for responsible government, wrote a series of
brilliant letters over the signature of "Legion" advocating that
principle, and who was for a time provincial secretary in the
Baldwin-Lafontaine government. In 1847, Mr. Sullivan delivered, in the
Mechanics' Institute, Toronto, an address on the North-West
Territories, which was published in full in the _Globe_. The Oregon
settlement had recently been made, and the great westward trek of the
Americans was in progress. Sullivan uttered the warning that the
Americans would occupy and become masters of the British western
territory, and outflank Canada, unless steps were taken to settle and
develop it by British subjects. There was at this time much
misconception of the character of the country, and one is surprised by
the very accurate knowledge shown by Mr. Sullivan in regard to the
resources of the country, its coal measures as well as its wheat
fields.

Mr. Brown also obtained much information and assistance from Mr.
Isbester, a "native of the country, who by his energy, ability and
intelligence had raised himself from the position of a successful
scholar at one of the schools of the settlement to that of a graduate
of one of the British universities, and to a teacher of considerable
rank. This gentleman had succeeded in inducing prominent members of
the House of Commons to interest themselves in the subject of appeals
which, through him, were constantly being made against the injustice
and persecution which the colonists of the Red River Se